Qaim orders irrigation water supply up to tail end

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has directed to the officers of Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority (Sida) and Sindh Irrigation Department to ensure supply of Irrigation water upto tail end within three to four days in Badin District failing which strict action would be taken against them.

He directed DIG Police Hyderabad and Divisional Commissioner Hyderabad to keep their camp offices at Badin till the time and to extend their full administrative support to the Irrigation officers in regularising Irrigation water upto the tail end. He also directed them to inquire into the matter of water shortage and to ascertain the causes of problem so that action be taken against the responsibilities.

Expressing his concern over the problem of water shortage at Badin, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah said he took the notice of that situation much earlier but because of budgetary problems he couldn’t arrive at Badin at that time. However, he maintained that he had directed to the Secretary Irrigation to visit the area, co-ordinate the growers and ensure that their problem of water shortage were resolved. Subsequently he was informed that the problem of water shortage had been resolved but today when I arrived here and listened to the same problem, it revealed upon me that the situation was same and very adverse,” he added.

Referring the complaint of a grower Syed Attaullah Shah about running of Direct Outlets from the canals causing the water shortage, the Sindh Chief Minister directed the Deputy Commissioner Badin to visit the DOs and to examine and evaluate matter of those Direct Outlets whether those outlets were the main cause of water shortage. However, he assured the growers that in case of those Direct Outlets found as main cause for water shortage, the permission of the same DOs would be cancelled.

Referring to the problem of law and order situation and water theft at force by influential landlords pointed out by Secretary Irrigation, the Sindh Chief Minister directed the officers of Police to take strict action and prosecute to such landlords under the Irrigation Act in case they found involved in water theft.

The Sindh CM also took notice of the complaints of growers about repair of the Regulator gates of the canals and directed to the officers to complete their maintenance work in the period of off season and also to ensure that all the Regulator gates were intact and all the modules of watercourses were within their designed specification.

MD Sida Ahsan Leghari in his briefing said the water level in the canals of his region was being raised as “we received the water from the upstream.” However, Director Sida Ursani pointed out some technical problems in the system, which according to him, were also creating hindrances for full supply of water upto the tail end.

During the open court, Dr Aziz Memon, Khalil Bhurgri, Fida Mahindro and many other growers raised their complaints against acute water shortage at tail end and termed it as artificial due to mismanagement and apathy of officers concerned. They were of the view that their channels had been dried up since long time and even they were facing difficulties to receive the water other than Irrigation purposes.

Later on, talking to the media men, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah said Badin was the strong hold of PPP from where Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and after that his followers always had been elected by the people of Badin. He said he had directed the officers to resolve the problems of water shortage and take the action immediate against the responsibles.

Responding to another question about the incident of water tank collapse causing three casualties at Golarchi, the Sindh CM directed the officers concerned for conducting inquiry into the matter. He also took notice of the robbery at Badin made on Thursday and directed the DIG Police Hyderabad for taking strict action against the robbers.

Later on, Sindh CM Syed Qaim Ali Shah along with Sindh Law Minister Dr Sikandar Mendhro, MNA Sardar Kamal Khan Chang, MPA Barrister Hasnain Mirza, MPA Nawaz Chandio, MPA Bashir Halepoto, Divisional Commissioner Hyderabad Jamal Mustafa Syed, Deputy Commissioner Badin, Secretary Irrigation, MD Sida and other officers visited the different components of Irrigation System of Phuleli Canal, Akram Wah, and Gooni Canal. He also inspected Alipur Regulator Matli and issued orders on spot for maintaining the system and strengthening it to take the water upto the tail end. He also visited the Morjhar, the resident of MNA Fahmida Mirza.